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Motorcyclist killed when Careless Dick leaves car in middle of road

A motorcyclist died and his rider was critically injured after crashing into the back of a stalled car on N. Central Expressway early Sunday.

Dallas police said the woman who left her car in the middle lane of 75 could face charges. Police said it’s the negligence that stands out to them and that’s why it’s going to a grand jury.

Rita Garrison says her son Tyler was visiting North Texas from Asheville, North Carolina when tragedy struck. Tyler was riding a motorcycle southbound on Central Expressway around 4:30 a.m. Sunday when he slammed into the back of car stalled in the center lane near Walnut Hill.

The 25-year-old driver left her stalled car to stand on the shoulder waiting for friends to arrive. Police said the driver’s actions did not appear to be intentional, but may have been negligent. They did not say if her hazard lights were on or if she called anyone else besides her friends to help.

Attorney Toby Shook, in private practice and not associated with the case, worked for more than 20 years in the Dallas County prosecutor’s office and said investigators need to find out the circumstances of why the vehicle was left in the middle of the road.

“They’ll refer it to a grand jury when they think the risk that the driver took in this case abandoning the vehicle was substantial enough to rise to the level of criminal negligence,” Shook said.

Rita garrison’s said Tyler was a devoted father to a 3-year-old daughter, a motorcycle enthusiast and deeply rooted in his faith. She said tearfully by phone she wants the driver to know she is forgiven and she says Tyler would not want the woman’s life to be ruined over the incident.

Garrison had a passenger on his bike who was seriously injured and put in a medically induced coma.

The case will likely get referred to the grand jury on Tuesday. Since the driver has not been formally charged, police are not releasing her name.